Review Scale Definitions

This page explains the various ways items on the site are rated. Traditional ratings have never really been enough for us at The Last Theater on the Left. Taste is very subjective so one person’s ten star rating will be completely different from someone else’s. Also, there are many things which most people may consider “bad” that are totally worth watching, reading, or playing. With that in mind we have devised our own unique rating systems which are explained here in detail.

General Review Scale
(Out of Ten)

To keep it simple, most reviews on the site will use a rating out of ten to help make things easier and more comfortable for those who just want a quick recommendation at a glance. This scale can be applied to movies, television, anime, games, books, whatever. Here’s the breakdown.

10 – Masterpiece – Anyone who says they like horror needs to check this out. If it’s not considered a classic now, it should be.9 – Great – It’s almost perfect. Any imperfections can probably be overlooked, but it’s not quite the best of the best.8 – Very Good – There are parts of this that flirt with greatness, but it’s just not quite there. Still highly recommended though.7 – Good -Not great, but solid and worth check out for horror fans.6 – Pretty good – If you’re a fan of the specific sub-genre or creators definitely give it a try, but otherwise you might want to get back to it later.5 – Average– Take it or leave it. Fans of the specific category might like it. Might not.4 – Pretty bad – There have been worse, but it’s not really recommended for anyone other than die hard fans of the sub-genre or creators.3 – Very bad – You should probably skip this one. Take a look only if there is really nothing better to so.2 – Terrible – Don’t waste your time. Seriously.1 – Abomination – You will regret it, we promise. It might even make you mad that I brought it up in the first place.

First-Run Movie Review Ratings

The following five ratings will be added to our reviews of movies still playing in first-run movie theaters. It is designed to indicate the urgency in which you need to seek out, spend money on, and watch the movie.

Full Price – The highest rating we can give for a movie currently playing in a theater. This means that you should do whatever you have to do in order to see this movie as soon as possible. You may have to deal with crowds and pay a higher price, but it will be worth it. Just go see it! Now!

Matinee – You should definitely go see this movie in a nice first-run theater, but it may not be worth a full price ticket or the hassle of putting up with a crowd. Go to a matinee to save a few dollars or wait a few weeks after the film’s release to let the crowds thin out a bit.

Discount Theater– Don’t spend too much on this movie. Though it deserves to be seen on a big screen, it’s not something you need to rush out to see. Wait for a discount or dollar theater in your area to start showing this before thinking about going to see it.

Rental – Wait until this movie is released on home video. This includes disc or on-demand rentals. This movie will probably only really be interesting to fans of a certain genre, actor, director, etc. It’s worth a few dollars and the effort to seek it out but it probably shouldn’t be near the top of your watch list.

Streaming – Our lowest rating. If you happen to see this movie on any of your flat-rate streaming services you might want to give it a watch, but don’t spend any extra money or time seeking this one out. There are plenty of other movies out there that deserve your time more than this one.

Movie Quality

The following qualifiers might be used for reviewing movies regardless of whether it’s still available in theaters or not. These descriptions are designed to help you quickly understand why a movie should or shouldn’t be seen.

Good – A movie that is well made, has a good story, or is otherwise remarkable in some way. Though this movie might not be to everyone’s tastes, there is no denying that it is a good movie. It has value and critical merit in a specific way that everyone should be able to appreciate.

Examples of Bad Movies:Alone in the Dark (2005)Exorcist II: The Heretic (1977)

Fun – This movie may have some serious faults and it most certainly won’t be for everyone, but it possesses a certain quality that makes you want to watch it anyway. Your friends may think you’re crazy for liking this one, but you don’t care. They just don’t get it.

Examples of Fun Movies:Troll 2 (1990)Plan 9 From Outer Space (1959)

Anime Reviews: First Impressions

When we do a first impression review of an anime series, it will be based solely on our thoughts of the first episode. As such, we can’t really rate the series as a whole. Instead, the intention is to determine if the series seems like it will be worth watching as it continues. The ratings will reflect this.

Keep Watching – The series has in interesting premise and seems like it will be worth watching all the way to the end of the series. This is the highest recommendation we can give in a first impression.Give It 3 Episodes – The series has potential, but we’re not completely sold on it. Watch three episodes and if it hasn’t improved by then, it’s probably safe to stop watching.Drop It – Don’t bother. There wasn’t enough in the first episode to warrant wasting another second on this series.